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McClaren: 'Florian Is A Machine'
Written by Newcastle Utd
Steve McClaren told nufc.co.uk that United have signed one of Europe's best young players in Florian Thauvin
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
Steve McClaren believes Newcastle United have signed one of the best young players in European football - and has tipped Florian Thauvin to get the St. James' Park crowd on their feet.
The French winger arrived from Marseille on Wednesday, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal, and ending a long pursuit of the talented 22-year-old by the Magpies.
And head coach McClaren has already seen enough to know that Thauvin's quality in the final third will make him a fans' favourite on Tyneside.
"Florian was brought to my attention when I first came to the Club," McClaren told nufc.co.uk about United's new number 20.
"He is a player the Club have been watching for a long time and I am delighted that we have been able to sign him.
"Florian will get the fans excited by scoring goals and putting goals on a plate for other people. He certainly has the potential and capabilities to do that, and we are excited about him coming in.
"He is a perfect signing for this Club - someone who is young, with great potential and is one of the best young players in Europe. He plays in a position which we have been looking for - we have been trying to get a genuine winger in.
"He is an exciting, creative talent who can score goals and make assists, and we believe he will have a very bright future at Newcastle.
"Florian has represented his country at every youth level, and now he needs to develop and get into the senior French team. Coming here will be a big step for him in doing that."
Thauvin's arrival is Newcastle's fifth signing of the summer - following Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Ivan Toney through the doors at St. James' Park.
And McClaren insists it has been a case of quality rather than quantity, as he looks to guide United back into the upper reaches of the Barclays Premier League.
"The quality of our signings has been very good," continued the head coach.
"It's a rebuilding job and a slow process, but it's not eight, nine or ten players at a time. We had to make sure we got quality and we have certainly achieved that in our transfers so far this summer."